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Our History

In 2013 we celebrated the 90th anniversary of the start of the building’s construction.  In 2014 we marked the 90th anniversary of the first occupancy of Shortland Flats in May 1924.   

 1927-Shortland-Flats-Exterior-X                                       1960-Shortland-Flats-Exterior-X   

1927                                                                                                        1960s

Thomas Coulthard Mullions (1878-1957), FNZIA, and Sholto Smith (1881-1936), SAA, of McDonald, Mullions & Smith Architects, designed the building.  

Joseph Stanleigh McAven (1877- 1960), Civil Engineer, then completed the foundation and structural design on 30 January 1923.  

W E Bush, City Engineer for Auckland City Council, approved the plans on 21 February 1923.  

Builder Noel Cole (1892-1975) began work later that year.  

Originally called The Shortland, by late May 1924 Shortland Flats was completed and ready for occupancy.  Mullions, Smith, McAven and Cole were among the founding shareholders in 1922.  

The construction cost was said to be about £30,000 (approximately $2,899,000 in 2014 dollars).  

The Company paid  £1,440 ($138,700 in 2014 dollars) for the land to Timothy Joseph Shannahan, an engineer, and assumed his £4,000 ($385,300) mortgage held on the land.  The land transfer was recorded and title issued 1 May 1923.  

 

(Photo Acknowledgement (Left): Special Collections, Auckland City Libraries (N.Z.), 1-W787(cropped))

(Photo Acknowledgement (Right): Auckland University Architecture Library)